Demetriou backed as Bennett successor

The race to Red Hill is on after Bennett was advised he would not have his contract extended beyond 2019.

Former Broncos premiership star and Queensland coach Kevin Walters, South Sydney mentor Anthony Seibold, former Rabbitohs coach Michael Maguire and Demetriou have all been interviewed for the job.

A board meeting will be held next Tuesday and former player-turned Queensland Cup commentator Sattler is certain the underrated Demetriou's merits will be seriously discussed.

Manly welcomed former mentor Des Hasler back to the post this week but the coaching merry-go-round still houses the Wests Tigers, where both Bennett and Maguire have been linked as replacements if Ivan Cleary opts for a Penrith return.

It comes amid reports suggesting Seibold has until next Wednesday to accept a contract extension beyond 2019 at Souths.

While Walters has received the backing of his former Broncos teammates and the Rabbitohs duo have earned their share of plaudits, Sattler says it would be foolish to discount Demetriou's stellar record and attributes.

Jason Demetriou has an impressive record in the lower grades.

"The Broncos have always been seen as a club that has to have a high-profile coach but I don't think they need one and I know JD would do the job on his head," Sattler said.

"His ability to get a message across is his greatest attribute and he knows when to let his hair down, when to get serious and the players know where they stand.

"He's a cracking guy that always coached like he was preparing to be an NRL coach."

Demetriou became the first Australian without NRL experience to captain an English Super League club - Wakefield - before he earned the Keighley Cougars a promotion to the second-tier Championship in his first year as player-coach.

He then blew the Northern Pride away with an elite presentation to earn the Cairns-based job and validated his appointment by winning back-to-back Queensland Cup minor premierships and the Cup-State Championship double in 2014.

The ride continued as assistant coach in North Queensland's 2015 premiership season before Demetriou led Illawarra to the NSW Cup-State Championship double.

Ivan Henjak and Anthony Griffin struggled to gain traction at the high-profile Broncos before being shown the door.

But Sattler believes Demetriou, who is entering a third season at Brisbane, won't encounter the same problems.

"And Broncos have the resources to ensure that, with the right assistant coach under him, it could be the making of him," Sattler said.